Patents Represented by Attorney Jones & Smith, LLP
  • Patent number: 8316940
    Abstract: Compositions and methods of reducing a flow of aqueous liquids through a subterranean formation are provided. The compositions and methods are used for water control. The compositions include a water control additive that is prepared by reacting a soluble sodium silicate and a hydrolysable organosilane compound to produce silanol that reacts and forms a bond with the formation thereby producing a binding polysiloxane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaolan Wang, Leonard Kalfayan, Jennifer Cutler
  • Patent number: 8298345
    Abstract: A heat exchanger may be cleaned by introducing compressed nitrogen and a flushing composition through an injection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: The Rectorseal Corporation
    Inventors: Eva Ackerman, Yanwei Cen, William Francis Flynn, Richard Garza
  • Patent number: 8276664
    Abstract: Spherical porous and non-porous cellulose particulates for use in sand control as well as stimulation procedures, may be prepared by first dissolving cellulosic materials (such as fibrous cellulose, wood pulp linters, cotton balls and/or paper), in the substantial absence of water or a nitrogen-containing base, in an ionic liquid. The solution is then combined with a cellulose-insoluble liquid to render the spherical particulates. The surface of the cellulosic particulates may be treated with a coating or penetrating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta
  • Patent number: 8253417
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus useful for determining at least one dimension of at least one geological feature of an earthen formation from a subterranean well bore includes at least two electric current transmitting electrodes and at least two sensing electrodes disposed in the well bore. The electric current transmitting electrodes are configured to create an electric field and the sensing electrodes are configured to detect perturbations in the electric field created by at least one target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas J. Pislak, Qi Qu, Russell L. Maharidge
  • Patent number: 8251570
    Abstract: A process for concentrating and diluting a treatment substance to provide a diluted treatment for introduction to a wellbore is disclosed. In one embodiment, the process includes measuring a treatment fluid flow rate. The process also includes blending the treatment fluid with a treatment substance to produce a concentrated treatment fluid. The process further includes measuring a flow rate of the concentrated treatment fluid. Moreover, the process includes determining a difference between the treatment fluid flow rate and the flow rate of the concentrated treatment fluid. In addition, the process includes comparing the difference to a target difference. The process additionally includes adjusting the difference to be within a desired range of the target difference and diluting the concentrated treatment fluid to provide the diluted treatment fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronnie D. Hughes, Robert L. Clark, Robert R. Rupe, III, Rudolf J. Novotny
  • Patent number: 8236734
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of using threshold scale inhibitors of the formula: wherein n is 2 or 3 and M is hydrogen or an alkali metal cation, for preventing calcium carbonate, iron carbonate, and calcium sulfate scale formation in oilwell brines containing dissolved iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Dong Shen, Randall J. Perkins, Dwayne D. Schielke, David H. Shcolnik
  • Patent number: 8230920
    Abstract: A whipstock includes deflector movable from a retracted to a deployed position. In the deployed position, the retractor is capable of guiding a tubular member away from the whipstock as the tubular member passes downwardly along the whipstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Douglas Bruce Bell
  • Patent number: 8211836
    Abstract: The productivity of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-bearing calcareous or siliceous formations is enhanced by contacting the formation with a well treatment composition which contains a hydrofluoric acid source, a boron containing compound and a phosphonate acid, ester or salt thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Mingjie Ke, Qi Qu
  • Patent number: 8205675
    Abstract: The method disclosed herein includes the introduction of proppant-free stage and a proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or subterranean formation. The method increases the effective fracture width and enhances fracture conductivity within the formation. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage contains a breaker. The other stage contains a viscosifying polymer or viscoelastic surfactant to which the breaker has affinity. The proppant-free stage may be introduced prior to introduction of the proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or formation. Alternatively, the proppant laden stage may be introduced into the wellbore and/or formation prior to introduction of the proppant-free stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Dean Brannon, Brian N. Ward
  • Patent number: 8196663
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus useful for providing fluids or equipment into a subterranean well through a production tubing and associated dead string includes an injection system that is movable into and out of the well without removing the production tubing. The injection system includes a stopper that forms the seal that creates the dead string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Bolding
  • Patent number: 8196662
    Abstract: Surfactant based viscoelastic fluids for enhancing the productivity of a hydrocarbon-bearing formations have particular applicability in acid fracturing of subterranean formations surrounding oil and gas wells. The viscoelastic fluid contains an organic acid, an inorganic monovalent salt and a quaternary ammonium aromatic salt and water. The fluid may further be foamed or energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald Casey Plasier, Scott Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 8186431
    Abstract: Prior to a hydraulic fracturing treatment, the requisite apparent viscosity of a transport fluid, ?fluid, containing a proppant for a desired propped fracture length of a fracture, DPST, may be estimated in accordance with Equation (I): ?fluid=(1/A)×qi×(1/DPST)B×(CTRANS)×(?SGPS)×(d2prop)??(I) wherein: A is the multiplier and B is the exponent from the Power Law equation of velocity of the transport slurry vs. distance for the fracture geometry; qi is the injection rate per foot of injection height, bpm/ft; CTRANS is the transport coefficient; ?SGPS is SGprop?SGfluid, SGprop being the specific gravity of the proppant and SGfluid being the specific gravity of the transport fluid; and dprop is the median proppant diameter, in mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Harold Dean Brannon
  • Patent number: 8186434
    Abstract: Non-spherical particulates are useful in the stimulation of subterranean formations. A proppant pack composed of the non-spherical particulates exhibits greater porosity than a corresponding proppant pack composed of spherical particulates. Non-spherical particulates which are hollow and non-porous may further be at least partially filled with a chemical treatment agent including water-soluble or oil-soluble chemical treatment agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Phillip B. Kaufman, D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta, Allan R. Rickards, Christopher J. Stephenson
  • Patent number: 8171992
    Abstract: Prior to a hydraulic fracturing treatment, ?SGPS for a desired propped fracture length, DPST, may be estimated wherein ?SGPS=SGprop?SGfluid (SGprop being the specific gravity of the proppant and SGfluid being the specific gravity of the transport fluid) in accordance with Equation (I): ?SGPS=(A)×(1/qi)×(DPST)B×(1/CTRANS)×(1/d2prop)×(?fluid)??(I) wherein: A is the multiplier and B is the exponent from the Power Law equation of velocity of the transport slurry vs. distance for the fracture geometry; qi is the injection rate per foot of injection height, bpm/ft; CTRANS is the transport coefficient; dprop is the median proppant diameter, in mm.; and ?fluid is the apparent viscosity of the transport fluid, in cP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Harold Dean Brannon
  • Patent number: 8173580
    Abstract: Fracturing fluid compositions and methods of fracturing subterranean formations using polyboronic compounds as crosslinking agents are provided. The compositions and methods of the present invention allow for lower polymer loadings because achieving higher fracturing fluid viscosities can be achieved using less polymer than in traditional crosslinked systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Frances De Benedictis, Hong Sun, Qi Qu
  • Patent number: 8167039
    Abstract: Prior to a hydraulic fracturing treatment, the requisite median diameter of a proppant, dprop, into a fracture of defined length, DPST, may be estimated in accordance with Equation (I): (dprop)2=(A)×(1/qi)×(DPST)B×(1/CTRANS)×(1/?SGPS)×(?fluid)??(I) wherein: A is the multiplier and B is the exponent from the Power Law equation of velocity of the transport slurry vs. distance for the fracture geometry; qi is the injection rate per foot of injection height, bpm/ft; CTRANS is the transport coefficient; ?SGPS is SGprop?SGfluid, SGprop being the specific gravity of the proppant and SGfluid being the specific gravity of the transport fluid; and ?fluid is the apparent viscosity of the transport fluid, in cP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Harold Dean Brannon
  • Patent number: 8141627
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus useful for cleaning at least part of the interior surface of a cylindrically-shaped member disposed in a subterranean well includes a housing and a plurality of retractable mill blades supported on the housing. The mill blades of such embodiments are capable of cleaning the entire circumference of the interior surface of at least a portion of the cylindrically-shaped member upon reciprocation of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: George N. Krieg, David Hebert, Graham J. Duplantis
  • Patent number: 8136596
    Abstract: A thermal insulating packer fluid contains at least one water superabsorbent polymer and optionally water and/or brine, and a viscosifying polymer. The composition is capable of inhibiting unwanted heat loss from production tubing or uncontrolled heat transfer to outer annuli. The viscosity of the composition is sufficient to reduce the convection flow velocity within the annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Cristian A. Lopez, Xiaolan Wang, Qi Qu, Paul H. Javora
  • Patent number: 8127850
    Abstract: An increase in effective propped lengths is evidenced in hydraulic fracturing treatments by the use of ultra lightweight (ULW) proppants. The ULW proppants have a density less than or equal to 2.45 g/cc and may be used as a mixture in a first proppant stage wherein at least one of the proppants is a ULW proppant. Alternatively, sequential proppant stages may be introduced into the formation wherein at least one of the proppant stages contain a ULW proppant and where at least one of the following conditions prevails: (i.) the density differential between the first proppant stage and the second proppant stage is greater than or equal to 0.2 g/cc; (ii.) both the first proppant stage and the second proppant stage contain a ULW proppant; (iii.) the rate of injection of the second proppant stage into the fracture is different from the rate of injection of the first proppant stage; or (iv.) the particle size of the second proppant stage is different from the particle size of the first proppant stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Dean Brannon, William Dale Wood, Randall Edgeman, Allan Ray Rickards, Christopher John Stephenson, Doug Walser, Mark Malone
  • Patent number: 8127849
    Abstract: Lightweight polyamide particulates may be used in treatment of subterranean formations, including hydraulic fracturing and sand control methods, such as gravel packing. The polyamide particulates typically have an apparent specific gravity (ASG) between from about 1.05 to about 2.0 and are stable at temperatures up to 500° C. The polyamide particulates may be used in combination with a filler which further serves to increase the strength and temperature stability of the resulting composite. Fracture conductivity may be increased by the placement of the low density polyamide particulates as a partial monolayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta